DAN Gosling has no interest in quitting Newcastle United – despite the fact that Blackburn Rovers want to take him to Ewood Park.

DAN Gosling has no interest in quitting Newcastle United – despite the fact that Blackburn Rovers want to take him to Ewood Park.

The Lancashire club signed Leon Best from the Magpies for £3million just two weeks ago and they were keen to lure Gosling back to the North West as a key man in their bid for promotion.

But the England Under-21 star does not want to give up the challenge of first-team football at Newcastle.

And he is ready to mix it with Cheick Tioté and Yohan Cabaye in the battle for a Magpies starting place.

Gosling, who has been unfortunate with injury since joining from Everton, has two years left on his current deal and has impressed on the tour of Germany. Looking ahead to the battle for first-team contention, Gosling told The Journal from Munich: “It will be a tough battle but I’m up for the challenge. Hopefully I’m here for the long haul.

“I am aiming for a good year.” Gosling feels there will be plenty of opportunities to shine this season after being in and out of the team last term.

He believes that with Europa League football to come as well as the domestic cups, every player knows that United manager Alan Pardew will be rotating his squad.

Plus there is the possibility of Tioté heading to South Africa for the African Cup of Nations in January if the Ivory Coast beat Senegal in a two-leg play-off.

When asked if he was focused on nothing but staying at United, Gosling (right) said: “Yes. I want to stay and fight for my place like anybody else.”

United have won one and lost one in Germany so far, going down to 3 Liga side Chemnitzer and then seeing off Monaco with a goal from Demba Ba.

The box-to-box midfielder said: “They have been work-outs. You want to give as many of the lads a run out as we can.

“We lost to Chemnitzer and it’s not nice to lose. But that’s just the way pre-season goes.

“Fitness is the key at the moment now though. They (Chemnitzer) start their season next week.

“We won’t underestimate any

team. The teams we have played have been tough so far.”

Gosling netted for the Magpies against Manchester City last season and has been unlucky not to add goals to his game here in Germany.

He skimmed the bar against Chemnitzer after a great save from the keeper, and he had one hacked off the line against Monaco.

Gosling said: “There’s been plenty of chances.

“There was another one when Haris Vuckic took the ball from my feet against Chemnitzer too.

“But as I say it’s about fitness at this stage.”

United aren’t getting concerned about friendly results.

After all they did go down to little-known Orlando City last season before finishing fifth in the Premier League during a campaing which saw them overcoming the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea. And Gosling reflected: “Last season we lost pre-season games but we can turn it around. There are tough games coming up.”